symmes



(No Model.) Y

H. D. SYMMES.

AUTOMATIC REGULATOR FOB. DYNAMOS. No. 524,845. v Patented Aug. 21, 1894.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY D. SYMMES, OF ST. CATHARINES, CANADA.

AUTOMATIC REG U'LATO R- FO R DYNAMOS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 524,845, dated August21, 1894.

Application fi June 6, 1894. Serial No. 513,670. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY DAVID SYMMEs, of the city of St.Catharines,'in the county of Lincoln and Province of Ontario, Canada,have invented a certain new and useful Automatic Electric Regulator forDynamos, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to devise an automatic regulator fordynamos, and it consists, essentially, of one or more solenoids throughwhich the current in the main circuit passes, and one or more resistancecircuits with contacts therein, arranged as a shunt to the main circuit,each solenoid being adapted to break contact in the correspondingresistance circuit when a current of more than a pre-determined numberof ampres passes through the main circuit, the whole being arranged indetail, substantially as hereinafter more particularly described, andthen definitely claimed.

The drawing is a plan View showing the general arrangement of myinvention.

Referring now to the details of said drawing by letter,-A and Brepresent the wires of the main circuit, one of which (A) is connectedto the positive terminal of the dynamo E and the other is connected, ashereinafter described, to the wire B leading to the negative pole ofsaid dynamo.

C and D represent two solenoids which are arranged in series in thecircuit so that any current flowing over the main circuit will have topass through these solenoids before the cir cuit can be completed withthe dynamo E. These solenoids O and D are connected in the circuit inmultiple arc, as regards one another, so that a definite proportion ofthe whole current passes through each one.

F and G are the wires connecting the solenoids in the circuit, and thesewires are so connected that they lead into the solenoids from the mainwires B and return to the circuit by connecting with the wire B. Thislast wire, it will be understood is only sufficiently long to enableother solenoids to be connected in the circuit, and it will be evidentthat, if only two solenoids are used as shown in the drawing, the saidwire B could end at the point where it is connected with the wire G.

H and I indicate resistance circuits which are arranged to form a shuntto the main circuit (one being provided for each solenoid) and areconnected to the main wire A and lead to the return wire B.

a and 6 represent resistances placed in the circuits H and I which needno further description, as any of the well-known resistances will besuitable. The devices for breaking the circuit are interposed in theseshunt circuits H and I and may be described as follows:

J are carbon contacts which are placed in said circuits H and I, andtheir companion contact pieces K are connected to jaws L which areconnected to plungers M adapted to work in the solenoids C and D. Theupper ends of these plungers are connected to the adjustable tensionsprings N which may be clamped by the binding screws T to give anydesired tension. The tension of one of these springs N is preferablyless than that of the other, so that the plunger to which it isconnected will be lifted by the passage of a greater current through thesolenoid than is required to lift the other. A similar efiect can ofcourse be produced by a difierence in the winding of the solenoids.

Of course it will be obvious that as many solenoids may be connectedbetween the wires B and B as may be necessary to provide for extremevariations in the current flowing through the main circuit.

The operation of my device is as follows: When the current is being usedin the main circuit, it flows over the main wireA through the maincircuit and returns over the wire B, from which it flows through thesolenoids and through the wire B to the dynamo E. When no current isused on the main circuit, the whole current from the dynamo passesthrough the resistance circuits H and I. Now, if a load, requiring morethan a pre-determined amperage, is thrown on the main circuit, it willof course be understood that one of these resistance circuits is thrownout of the circuit and that the current that would usually flow throughthis is fed to the main circuit. To automatically throw said resistanceout of circuit is the object of the solenoids and plungers, which objectis accomplished as follows: If the current passing through the maincircuit (which current has to pass through the solenoids) is of moreamperage than the solenoid is gaged for, the plunger is raised againstthe power of the spring, and breaks the contact between thecontact-pieces J and K and hence cuts out one of the resistancecircuits. The next solenoid is arranged to lift its plunger at a cer-'tain pre-determined increase in the amperage of the current over that atwhich the first solenoid operated, and if this amperage is reached, thissecond resistance is cut out of circuit. Now if theload on the maincircuit is decreased, of course the same amount of current will not flowthrough the solenoids and hence it the amperage falls below a certainamount, the spring will force one of the plungers down and put one ofthe resistances in the circuit, thus efiectually regulating the currentfrom the dynamo.

Although I prefer to arrange the solenoids in multiple are, they mightalso be arranged in series as regards one another.

From the above description, it will be seen that as the resistance inthe path of the current from the dynamo is automatically adjusted incorrespondence with the current flowing in the main circuit, that thecurrent is automatically and effectively regulated.

My invention is particularly adapted for use with dynamos running anelectric street car service, where the current in the main circuit isconstantly varying, owing to constant changes in the number of carstaking power from the trolley wire.

What I claim as my invention is- 1. In an automatic electric regulatorfor dynamos, two or more solenoids arranged in series as regards themain circuit, and in multiple are as regards one another, in combinationwith two or more resistance circuits connecting the positive andnegative wires of the main circuit, each having a contact therein andeach solenoid being arranged to break its corresponding resistancecircuit when a current of more than a pro-determined number of amperespasses through the main circuit, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

2. In an automatic electric regulator for dynamos, two or more solenoidsarranged in series as regards the main circuit, and in multiple are asregards one another, in combination with two or more resistance circuitsconnecting the positive and negative wires of the main circuit, eachhaving a contact therein, the solenoids being arranged to cut out theircorresponding resistance circuits at successive increases in theamperage of a current passing through the main circuit, substan tiallyas and for the purpose specified.

3. In an automatic electric regulator for dynamos, two or more solenoidseach arranged to divert a proportionate amount of the current passingthrough the main circuit in combination with two or more resistancecircuits connecting the positive and negative wires of the main circuitand each having a contact therein, each solenoid being arranged to cutout its corresponding resistance circuit at successive increases in theamperage of a current passing through the main circuit, substantially asand for the purpose specified.

.4. In an automatic electric regulator for dynamos,two or more solenoidsthrough which all the current of the main circuit passes, in combinationwith two or more resistance circuits connecting the positive andnegative wires of the main circuit and each having a contact therein,the solenoids being arranged to cut out their corresponding resistancecir cuits at successive increases in the amperage of the current passingthrough the main circnit, substantially as and for the purposespecified.

5. An automatic regulator for dynamos comprising the following elements:two or more solenoids C, D arranged in series as regards the maincircuit, and in multiple are as regards one another, plungers M adaptedto work in said solenoids, springs acting on said plungers, two or moreresistance circuits II, I, and contact pieces J and K interposed in saidcircuits, one set of said contact pieces being connected to the saidplungers and arranged to break the resistance circuits when the plungersare raised, substantially as described.

St. Oatharines, May 26, 1894.

HENRY D. QYMMES.

In presence of- HUBERT COLLIER, F. G. Loans.

